SOCIAL STUDIES UNIT OUTLINES – FIRST GRADE
Unit Outlines for First Grade
Unit Outline 1: Families in Our Community
Unit Outline 2: Families in Other Places

SUGGESTED UNIT OUTLINES FOR SOCIAL STUDIES GLES 1^st GRADE

SOCIAL STUDIES UNIT OUTLINES – FIRST GRADE

In first grade, students develop their understanding of basic concepts and ideas from civics, economics, geography, and history. The context for social studies learning in first grade is the family and the ways they choose to live and work together. To develop students’ understanding of the basic social studies concepts, students are asked to think about families nearby and those far away.

The following pages organize the required social studies standards for the 1^st grade into two suggested unit plans related to family. As with the other grade levels, these suggested unit outlines are framed along two dimensions: chronological era and major developments or themes. Civics, economics, geography, and social studies skills are embedded in this framework. They start with possible essential and guiding questions to help frame the unit. The sample guiding questions focus on the specific issues that connect with the particular era, developments, or themes. The sample essential questions are meant to remind us of how the themes and eras addressed in a particular unit relate to timeless important issues and concepts.

Please note that while the GLEs (in bold) are required, the examples are merely suggestions. Since it would be impossible to address all of the important people, cultures, and events from Washington state history that promotes in-depth understanding, these examples are meant to provide some possible contexts in which to teach these standards. They are not meant to be followed like a recipe or as a one-size-fits-all curriculum. Ultimately, it is up to teachers and administrators in each district to decide how to tailor this course and these examples to their students’ and community’s particular interests and needs. The document is in Word format to facilitate this tailoring. Local educators will have to help decide which themes and developments in world history and geography students will examine deeply and which they will look at as points of comparison. By balancing depth and breadth, students will have the opportunity to gain enduring understandings that social studies teaches us about ourselves and our world. To help develop these enduring understandings, these unit outlines include recommended placement of several of the state’s Classroom-Based Assessment models (CBAs). To see the full requirements of the CBAs referenced below, visit OSPI’s social studies assessment web page.

Unit Outlines for First Grade

1.	Families in Our Community
2.	Families in Other Places

Unit Outline 1: Families in Our Community

Essential Question(s):

· How do families change over time?

· Why do families live where they do?

· What are the roles and responsibilities that families have?

· How do families meet their needs and wants?

Guiding Question(s):

· How do families in your community support themselves?

		Required GLE	Suggested Examples
HISTORY	4.1.1	Understands and creates family timelines to show events in a sequential manner.	· Creates and explains a timeline that describes family events over time. · Creates and explains a family timeline that describes changes to the family.
	4.4.1	Understands how knowledge of family history can be used to make current choices.	Explains how a family marks celebrations using traditions and customs from the past.
ECONOMICS	2.1.1	Understands that when individuals and families make choices about meeting their needs and wants, something is gained and something is given up.	· Explains that families make choices about the need for buying groceries based on cost, availability, family or cultural customs, and personal taste. · Explains that when families make choices about moving, a new home is gained and an old neighborhood is given up.
GEOGRAPHY	3.2.3	Understands why families make decisions to move.	Explains that families may move to a smaller or bigger home when family size decreases or increases. · Explains that families may move when job opportunities become available.

Unit Outline 2: Families in Other Places

Essential Question(s):

· How are families alike and different?

Guiding Question(s):

· How does geography affect the way families live in other places?

		Required GLE	Suggested Examples
GEOGRAPHY	3.1.1	Understands and uses maps and globes to identify major bodies of water and continental land masses.	· Uses a map or globe to identify the location of the continents and major bodies of water. · Explains how maps and globes can be used to locate the continents where families live.
	3.2.1	Understands that the way families live is shaped by the environment.	Explains how the climate and physical features of an area determine the types of home in which people live. · Explains how the food families eat is affected by the natural resources that are available in their regions.
SOCIAL STUDIES SKILLS	5.2.1	Understands how questions are used to find out information.	Explains how questions can be used to find out how families celebrate holidays. · Explains how questions can be used to find out how families live in different countries.
	5.3.1	Engages in discussions to learn about how families live around the world.	· Engages in discussions to learn how families from around the world celebrate birthdays. · Engages in discussions to learn about the clothing worn by families from around the world.
	5.2.2	Uses texts and visuals to identify the main ideas or key details to study family life.	Uses photos to describe how different families live.
	5.4.1	Describes how different people live using a graphic organizer.	Describes similarities and differences in the ways families celebrate holidays using a T-chart. · Describes similarities and differences in the ways in which families live using a table.